Jane Campion had a big day, but it ended with a thud of white feminism.

Early on at the BAFTA awards the Kiwi won Best Director, with her film The Power of the Dog taking out Best Film. That was followed soon after with more prizes at the Critics Choice Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay and Cinematography.

Accepting the award for Best Picture, Campion commented: “I’m like a grandmother of the women’s movement in film now. But I’m still here! Thank you!”

But it was her acceptance speech for Best Director that ruffled feathers.

“It’s absolutely stunning to be here tonight amongst so many incredible women. 

“Venus and Serena, what an honour to be in the room with you. I’ve taken up tennis!” she joked, before going on to awkwardly try to make a point about the challenges and prejudice that she has faced in a male-dominated industry and missing the mark entirely.

“I’d also just like to give my love out to my fellow - the guys, the nominees.

“And you know Serena and Venus, you’re such marvels. However, you don’t play against the guys, like I have to.”

Campion was up against five other nominees, all men - a typical occurrence in the best director category. 

Her win - just the third woman in the award’s history - is absolutely worthy of celebration and recognition. So should we acknowledge the challenges that women directors often face in the industry, and rage against the lack of visibility and power for women in that role (that includes all women, not just cis white ones).

But why undermine the Williams’ journey of success - one that is widely known to have been filled with sexism, racism, and classism - in an attempt to validate her own? (Also, it has been noted that they have both competed against men)

Twitter quickly caught wind of Campion’s comments and was not impressed.

“She did what,” wrote author Roxane Gay.

“…it’s amazing how much real estate the Williams occupy in people’s minds. And in addition to the racism of it all, Campion is suggesting that competing against men is more difficult/legitimate than competing against women. Has she met women???”

Actor Jodie Turner-Smith, who was in the room, wrote, “jane taking time out of her best director speech to tell two Black women that she is more oppressed than them is PEAK white feminism”.

Following the response to her comments, Campion released a statement apologising (she was also photographed at an after party talking to and hugging Venus).

“I made a thoughtless comment equating what I do in the film world with all that Serena Williams and Venus Williams have achieved. I did not intend to devalue these two legendary Black women and world-class athletes.

“The fact is the Williams sisters have, actually, squared off against men on the court (and off), and they have both raised the bar and opened doors for what is possible for women in this world. The last thing I would ever want to do is minimize remarkable women. I love Serena and Venus. Their accomplishments are titanic and inspiring. Serena and Venus, I apologize and completely celebrate you.”

Of course Campion may have faced her own issues throughout her career as a woman in film. Just this week she responded to the sexism of actor Sam Elliott after he criticised The Power of the Dog and her role in telling a ‘cowboy’ story.

“I consider myself a creator,” she said. “And I think he sees me as a woman or something lesser first and I don't appreciate that.”

Good for her! But Campion’s foolish comment yesterday centres her win against the wins of two Black women, a classic example of the microaggressions and lack of awareness that intersectional feminism advocates against.

That fragility of 'white feminism' has been a talking point for years as this new feminist wave evolves (to quote Gloria Steinem: "There is no such thing as white feminism. If it's white feminism it isn't feminism"). Rachel Elizabeth Cargle wrote about it way back in 2018 in a brilliant piece that listed key elements of ‘The Toxic White Feminism Playbook’: tone policing, spiritual bypassing, white saviour complex and, finally, centering. 

Earlier this month the New York Times mistakenly ran a photo of Venus alongside a story about Serena’s venture-capital firm raising $111 million. Serena responded, on Twitter, writing that, “No matter how far we come, we get reminded that it's not enough. This is why I raised $111M for @serenaventures. To support the founders who are overlooked by engrained systems woefully unaware of their biases. Because even I am overlooked. You can do better, @nytimes."

We can all do better. I’m glad Campion took ownership of her stuff up, and I hope it encourages us all to examine our own biases.

I’m a Jane Campion fan, and so my second instinct after hearing her comment - the first being a physical grimace - was to defend her. 

But why did she go there - there must be context? (Campion’s comments were, partly, referencing actor Halle Berry’s earlier acceptance speech which touched on the importance of diverse and female perspectives in film).‍

But, she offers complex portrayals of womanhood. (She does, and we need more of this on screen)

But… she was just being awkward! (Her rambling, self-deprecating attempt at humour felt extremely Kiwi)

But, she’s an icon.

But that’s my own white feminism showing.